From India to MIT: A Journey of Pursuing Passion

In this episode, Mukesh Bansal (Founder Myntra and Cult.fit) is in conversation with Mukesh Prasad Singh, an IIT graduate who went onto MIT only to know that he would drop out of the prestigious university a year later. An early participant of the first wave of Startups in the 90’s, Mukesh has been a part of some of the most prominent companies working today. ‘ZopNow’, one of the first few online e-commerce platforms in India was founded by him in 2011 which kickstarted his entrepreneurial journey.

This episode sheds light on his risk taking appetite and how he has cultivated a strong will power over the last 25 years working around Startups. From being a member of the core team of Amazon India to serving as Chief Technology Officer at Make My Trip, Mukesh aka Mukri’s journey is nothing short of an inspiration to the young entrepreneurs out there!

We also get to take a deep dive into Mukri’s love for marathons and his influences behind an impressive long list of passion projects. If you are someone who wishes to know more about the experiences of Startups in Silicon Valley or anecdotes of JEE toppers, this episode is specially curated for you. Watch till the end to know for an engaging conversation between these two!

00:00:00 - 00:01:18 Sneak Peak of the Episode!
00:01:19 - 00:03:09 About our Guest: Mukesh Prasad Singh aka Mukri
00:03:10 - 00:05:36 From IIT to MIT
00:05:37 - 00:08:35 Mukesh’s time in Boston
00:08:36 - 00:10:33 Dropping out of MIT
00:10:34 - 00:16:52 Mukesh’s first startup: ‘Oasis’
00:16:53 - 00:22:14 Where does Mukesh’s risk taking come from?
00:22:15 - 00:25:50 Hoping for a brighter future: India’s road to being a developed nation
00:25:51 - 00:30:57 Mukesh’s anecdote about the JEE exam
00:30:58 - 00:33:47 ’The Art of Planning’: Perfecting your plan
00:33:48 - 00:39:39 Learnings from being an employee at eGain
00:39:40 -  00:41:31 Prioritising learning and experiences
00:41:32 -  00:47:37 Mukesh’s passion for marathons and his learnings
00:47:38 - 00:52:51 Cultivating a strong Will Power
00:52:52 - 00:59:58 What made Mukesh move back to India?
00:59:59 -  1:05:20 “Is this India’s time to shine?” Insights on India’s development model
1:05:21 - 1:11:17 How to brace through the early start up years?
1:11:18 - 1:13:03 Internal Satisfaction Vs. External Success
1:13:04 - 1:18:40 Mukesh’s experience working at Amazon & MakeMyTrip
1:18:41 -  1:23:15 The famous Ganesha-Jeff Bezos Story!
1:23:16 - 1:29:10 Boom of E-Commerce in India
1:29:11 - 1:32:42 Mukesh talks about building ‘ZopNow’
1:32:43 - 1:38:46 Handling the Co-Founder Dynamic
1:38:47 - 1:43:00 “Working well past your 80’s”
1:43:01 - 1:58:31 Overcoming struggles building ZopNow
1:58:32 - 20:01:18 Beyond Entrepreneurship: Mukesh’s love for farming
20:01:19 - 2:04:34 ‘Summarise’: Mukesh’s passion project
2:04:35 - 2:08:45 How does Mukesh find time for his projects?
2:08:46 - 2:10:35 Outro: Thanking our Guest
2:10:36 - 2:11:21 Outro Music

About SparX by Mukesh Bansal 

SparX is a podcast where we delve into cutting-edge scientific research, stories from impact-makers and tools for unlocking the secrets to human potential and growth.  
We believe that entrepreneurship, fitness and the science of productivity is at the forefront of the India Story; the country is at the cusp of greatness and at SparX, we wish to make these tools accessible for every generation of Indians to be able to make the most of the opportunities around us.  

In a new episode every Sunday, our host Mukesh Bansal (Founder Myntra and Cult.fit) will talk to guests from all walks of life and also break down everything he's learnt about the science of impact over the course of his 20-year long career.  
This is the India Century, and we're enthusiastic to start this journey with you. 

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Fasion | Outbreak | Courtesy EpidemicSound.com